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Chapter 2279: Damned if You Don't
Shadow Slave

Sunny found himself in his current situation because of the Weaver's bloodline — the forbidden lineage of a mysterious daemon that the Anvil once described as a terrible curse. Because of it, he had to stay hidden and avoid drawing too much attention.

Still... since he was already cursed, it would be foolish not to make full use of the daemon’s twisted gift.

Having more of it than he currently did wouldn't make much difference. And it wasn’t like Sunny had to completely disappear and spend the rest of his life in hiding — daemons were known to many people, after all.

It was just that they were always distant and strange. They existed in the shadow of the gods, other beings of Divine Rank, and unspeakable horrors — the Seven Demons hadn’t exactly stood out in the mix of fantasy figures. It was only when Hope descended into the human world and tore the skies apart that everything truly unraveled.

The issue was that humanity now had only three Supremes, with no higher authority above them. So if Sunny ever revealed himself, he would attract even more attention than Hope did.

Anyway, he had already tracked down three of the seven fragments of the Forbidden Lineage — the Blood Weave, the Bone Weave, and the Soul Weave. Each had made him significantly stronger, saving his life on many occasions.

Four fragments remained.

They had weighed on his mind ever since he encountered the Netther, the Demon of Fate, on the wall of the Ebony Tower.

Sunny thought about them often:

“The gods created all living creatures, but not everything they made carries divine lineage. Only those born of the gods, or their descendants, do. Why did the gods forbid us seven from having children? Why were we made to be alone? Is it because we come from the Forgotten One, who sleeps in the Void?”

Now, Sunny had the answer. It was strange, realizing he had discovered something even daemons hadn’t. The Netther had merely suspected the truth... but the Demon of Fate must have known it.

After all, the next part of the carving spoke of the Weaver.

“Where is the Void, and where is its Door? How did the Weaver enter it, and what did the Weaver see? Why did the Weaver defy the gods and begin a lineage?”

Sunny was just as clueless about the Weaver’s plans and motivations as their kin had been. What he did know, though, was that the Weaver had cast seven pieces of his forbidden legacy across the threads of fate, leaving them to be discovered someday.

“Blood, bone, flesh, soul, spirit, mind. And shadow...”

One was lost to dreams, one to fear. Another to peace, one to night. One to sorrow, another to decay. And the last... stolen by a thief.

Sunny had found the one taken by the Vilesome Thieving Bird — the Blood Weave — and the one lost to rot, the Bone Weave, in the Ebony Tower. He had also recovered the one lost to grief, the Soul Weave, in the corrupted version of the Tomb of Ariel — near Oblivion's final resting place.

Flesh, spirit, mind, and shadow were still missing.

He was convinced the first three were hidden within the remaining three Grand Citadels — left behind by the Demon of Terror, the Demon of Silence, and the Demon of Fantasy — the Ravenheart, the Night Garder, and Bastion.

The final one... seemed to have been discovered by the Broken Sword, leading to his downfall. So it must be somewhere in the Underworld, close to where Broken Sword’s remains now lay.

Now that the early chaos of leading people had mostly settled, and the responsibilities Sunny had carried were fulfilled, he could finally send out a version of himself — or several — to resume the hunt for the Weaver’s missing fragments.

The Underworld was dense with true shadow, making it a natural counter to Sunny’s powers — so he planned to save that for last.

But the mirror maze beneath the Real Bastion was strange in a different way. Sunny knew a lot about true darkness by now... but he still didn’t understand enough about the Others.

He figured he’d start with either the Ravenheart or the Night Garder. Since the latter existed in the waking world, the decision was simple. Sunny would begin with the Ravenheart... the domain of the Demon of Dread.

And once he collected the final fragments of his inheritance...

Then he would return to the Tomb of Ariel.

While Sunny mulled it all over, Effie stared at him with a puzzled expression.

"Inheritance? Aren’t you already rich, Shadow Boy? Who would be giving you anything?"

Sunny blinked a few times.

"S-Shadow Boy? That’s a new one."

He frowned.

"Look... I’m not a boy. First of all, I’m a grown man. Second, I’m a Supreme — a proper king."

Effie narrowed her eyes and looked him over.

"...Still kinda small, though."

Sunny’s eye twitched.

He stared at her for a moment, then sighed and looked away.

"Wicked beanpole."

It wasn’t like he couldn’t change his appearance if he wanted to. He was the Shadow now, and Shadows were inherently mutable. He could look however he wanted — tall or short. 𝐑αƝȰ𐌱Ě𝒮

But his original form felt the most natural. Plus, he liked the way he looked — his body was fine. Actually, it was kind of cool.

Oh, and Nephis liked it too.

And even if Effie would never admit it, she kinda did as well.

Sunny smiled softly, the sting of his Flaw reminding him that he’d sort of dodged her first question.

"Yeah, I’m wealthy. And if you’re wondering who’d leave me anything — well, gods and daemons fought to make me their heir. Actually, parts of my inheritance are scattered around... one in the Ravenheart, and another here in the Bastion."

Effie blinked, surprised.

Her grin widened.

"So, you and I are gonna be spending more time together, huh..."

In the next instant, Sunny’s smile vanished, and he winced slightly.

That was because Nephis kicked him under the table.

"What... what was that for?"

Looking as expressionless as ever, Nephis said plainly:

"I believe what he meant was that his journey will soon bring him to the Bastion. Your help would be appreciated, Effie."

Effie looked at her, then at Sunny, and back again.

After a moment, she smiled.

"Sure. I’m always up for a smart adventure."

Just then, Cassie cleared her throat.

"Can we please return to the list? Since Sunny’s going to the Ravenheart, we can set the volcano discussion aside. But we still have..."

As the conversation continued, Sunny found himself growing bored again.

So, seizing the opportunity, he shifted his focus and checked on what his other shadow-selves were up to.

Shadow Slave
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Comments 56

  1. Offline
    Mitch
    Mitch
    + 0 ⋅ 1 -
    So how long until this site stops putting out the chapters to this because the other sites start charging? It’s happened to like four different stories I was reading. You’re like 3000 chapters in and then they want you to pay right as it’s going to end or something crazy is happening
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    Borderline Coffee Addict
    Borderline Coffee Addict
    + 0 ⋅ 3 -
    SIDE NOTE TO THE ADMIN

    I saw a novel by Robert Jordan, The Wheel Of Time, on this website, it's kinda famous and maybe let the website owner know about it ?

    I'm just suggesting.....
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    1. Offline
      panic
      panic
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      I didn't know about this, thanks! /s stare
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      --------------------
      only we
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        Borderline Coffee Addict
        Borderline Coffee Addict
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        No worries bud !
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    LexEdu
    LexEdu
    + 17 ⋅ 0 -
    2283 Deal with the Shadow
    April 13, 2025
    [spoiler][/spoiler]

    The exploration of the caverns beneath the Forgotten Shore was progressing steadily, albeit gradually.
    The Dark Sea, along with the Corrupted monstrosities inhabiting it, had spent countless centuries evading the annihilating sunlight that once reached this place. As a result, the ground was blanketed in endless layers of muck, shards of crushed coral, shattered bones of fallen Nightmare Creatures, and every other bit of detritus that the retreating tide had dragged with it into the depths.
    All of it lay undisturbed in eternal darkness... and there were dreadful things hiding in that darkness.
    Formidable abominations that had avoided being devoured by the Crimson Spire when the Great Titan was sealed, colonies of microscopic parasites capable of consuming a person in seconds, pockets of pure darkness that rendered Sunny completely blind, and far more beyond description.
    None of these posed a genuine threat to him, but he still had to remain cautious.
    After all, despite his overwhelming power, Sunny was not indestructible. He could face any Nightmare Creature lurking on the Forgotten Shore as long as he remained alert, but even a few careless seconds could cost him an incarnation.
    His resistance to soul and mind assaults was significant, yet not absolute.
    Moreover, no matter how mighty someone was, there were always strange and incomprehensible beings within the Dream Realm that defied all logic. Prudence was always worth the effort.
    For now, Sunny had not found anything of major value in the vast shadows of the hidden caverns. He had uncovered a number of fascinating ancient relics left behind by the extinct civilization of the Forgotten Shore, but those satisfied only his curiosity as an explorer of the Dream Realm. They did little to advance his goals as a Supreme.
    Groaning softly, Sunny winced and slowly sat up. He summoned the Endless Spring, drank deeply, and then rose to his feet with effort.
    This particular incarnation was recovering from a task that each of them took on every few weeks.
    That task was battling Slayer.
    Sunny kept the deadly Shadow confined to the dungeon beneath the ruined cathedral of the Dark City now, in the stone cell where he had once discovered Weaver's Mask. Every seven days, he summoned her to the lower chamber of the Nameless Temple and engaged in combat.
    That cycle had continued for an entire year. The duels were relentless, savage, and enlightening. Each week, Sunny barely managed to defeat Slayer, and each week, he ended up in this miserable condition. As a result, one incarnation was always in recovery while a newly restored one prepared to challenge her again the following week.
    Still grimacing, Sunny headed toward the back garden.
    Unlike the silent shadows — or shades, as he called them now to prevent confusion — who lacked independent thought, his true Shadows each had their own identity. They were as much individuals as they were extensions of himself. Saint, Serpent,
    Nightmare, Fiend, and Mimic all followed his commands willingly. Slayer did not. So, he refused to force her.
    But he could not let her go free, either. Slayer was a creature of terrifying precision and hostility, and releasing her into the world out of moral guilt would be reckless.
    So, he fought her.
    Their duels had started as a form of communication — Sunny had hoped to reach some understanding with Slayer. Instead of listening, however, she had immediately attacked. So, their dialogue became one of blades and battle.
    Sunny had initially been annoyed by her relentless hostility, then indignant, and eventually furious.
    Slayer remained unwaveringly aggressive, always seeking to kill or maim him. As much as Sunny learned from fighting her, she too learned and adapted from their battles. None of his victories had been effortless.
    At one point, he had begun questioning why he continued subjecting himself to these brutal weekly clashes. But they had become a habit, nearly a ritual, and he decided to embrace them as worthwhile training.
    Then, something unexpected occurred.
    After losing to him repeatedly, Slayer had begun showing him a certain... reluctant respect. Perhaps even a hint of kinship. She still would not submit, but she had become willing to strike a deal.
    Naturally, as a Shadow, Slayer had no need for coin or physical riches. What she demanded instead... was Sunny’s blood.
    Slayer did not speak, but she made her desire clear through powerful silence. It was strange — and more than a little unsettling — but she seemed to have developed a fascination with Sunny’s blood, perhaps even a craving for it, ever since a few drops from his torn knuckles had fallen onto her during one of their battles in the Shadow Realm.
    Absorbing his blood made her appear... more real somehow.
    Regardless, that was the bargain now, and that was the cost Sunny paid for harnessing the strength of his sixth Shadow.
     

    2284 Shadow Smith
    April 13, 2025
    While the battered incarnation was tending to the Nameless Temple, another stood in the vast hall of the ruined cathedral, which had gradually become something akin to a forge.
    At the far end, beneath the unwavering gaze of the Nameless Goddess, the solemn shadow of the King of Swords was crafting a massive breastplate. He used the altar as his anvil, and the material he shaped into the towering suit of armor was manifested shadow. His hammer rose and fell in steady rhythm, giving form to the darkness...
    The former King’s expression remained still and unreadable, his gaze curiously both filled with cold intellect and devoid of vitality. He retained the remarkable skill of a blacksmith and artisan, along with the discerning mind needed to use it. But he lacked the spirit and will that made one truly alive.
    The shadow of Anvil possessed no desires and no emotions, existing in a serene state of quiet emptiness.
    Still... he appeared at peace, even satisfied, having been offered the chance to devote himself to his craft beyond death. Or so Sunny believed, after watching Anvil’s shadow for many days.
    At first, Sunny had been tempted to destroy it. He knew that losing the shadow of a Supreme being would be a severe blow to the Shadow Legion, even without its Will. But despite that, he had still wanted to erase Anvil’s shadow out of pure resentment, feeling that its presence alone polluted his soul.
    Then, he considered sending the royal shade into battle. In the end, Sunny concluded that Anvil’s shadow was best suited to this — laboring as the blacksmith for the evergrowing Shadow Legion.
    None of them were capable of possessing or summoning Memories. Many, however, required weapons and armor — especially the human shades like Solvane, Daeron, and the seven Saints of the Song Domain that he had slain. They had lost their own arsenals of Memories before being absorbed into his soul, and so were forced to fight unarmed as soldiers of shadow.
    What was more terrifying than a monstrous beast? A monstrous beast clad in a suit of impenetrable armor, undoubtedly. And while being torn apart by claws was already dreadful, being shredded by claws encased in sharpened metal was undeniably worse.
    Sunny’s answer to this problem was to appoint the former Sovereign as the Shadow Legion’s master of arms and armorer. Now, Anvil’s shadow resided in the ruined cathedral, endlessly forging weapons and fearsome armor from the essence of shadows.
    Crafting the Memories for the Shadow Clan had been a massive undertaking. Not because the process was particularly difficult, but simply because of how many there were. Some of these refined Memories, like the Black Canteen — successor to Rain’s beloved Green Canteen — were standard issue and given to every member of the clan.
    Others shared similar appearances but were individually crafted and fine-tuned to fit the unique Aspects of the Shadow Clan members. For example, the suits of armor Sunny forged each held a reservoir that he personally filled with shadow essence, enabling even ordinary Awakened to activate powerful, life-saving enchantments in dire situations.
    Above him, an intricate web of black stands spread into a vast and mesmerizing design — a formation as awe-inspiring as it was intimidating, stretching the full length of the hall and reaching all the way to the ceiling high above.
    Unlike with the Blessing, this time there was no Spell to guide or complete the process. So Sunny had to oversee every part of its creation on his own. Given the value and rarity of the resources that would go into forging this charm, he wanted to be absolutely certain nothing would go to waste.
    There were still numerous flawed areas within the enormous and astonishingly intricate weave, but he was drawing closer to completing the ambitious structure. Once finished, it would hopefully grant him significant power and versatility.
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      SHIV
      SHIV
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Thanks man, but there are few parts that you missed.
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        SHIV
        SHIV
        + 7 ⋅ 0 -
        2283

        That, and the pain.
        Groaning once more, Sunny limped through the great halls of the Nameless Temple, stepped into the garden behind the grand obsidian Citadel, and used the Endless Spring to water his tree.
        Then he looked up at the black sky, devoid of stars, and sighed.
        "I wonder when the next storm will arrive. It hasn’t rained in months." His expression darkened, and he muttered under his breath:
        "Am I going to have to start managing the water supply too? More work for me. Wonderful."
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          SHIV
          SHIV
          + 5 ⋅ 0 -
          2284

          Far away, Sunny’s final two incarnations were engaged in a different task altogether.
          They were at war with the Burned Forest.
           
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      2. Offline
        LexEdu
        LexEdu
        + 0 ⋅ 0 -
        I'll edit
        but it was not there
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      Borderline Coffee Addict
      Borderline Coffee Addict
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      Thank you for the update. Much appreciated !
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  4. Online Offline
    Maniacc
    Maniacc
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    does anyone know of the novel where, the mc was summoned alongside 4(?) people to an ancient world, where they lived in a giant mammoth, and that mammoth is about to die. I remember they also all wake up in a special classroom, they were the only ones attending on it.



    I've been looking for hours idk if it was deleted in the site.
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    1. Offline
      SHIV
      SHIV
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      I'll surpass the MC ?
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        Maniacc
        Maniacc
        + 1 ⋅ 0 -
        That's it thank you, i thought its completed by now and went through 100 pages of completed novels XD. I kept searching for words like (main, hero, character) but its actually MC, and (kill, defeat) but its surpass.
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  5. Offline
    Borderline Coffee Addict
    Borderline Coffee Addict
    + 3 ⋅ 3 -
    This chapter brought on something interesting, in regards to lineages.

    Makes sense but then, i was thinking how or why Eurys would name Nephis a Nephilim, because that would indicate that her mom got impregnated by an Angel.

    Anyone has any ideas?
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      Lost from sight
      Lost from sight
      + 3 ⋅ 0 -
      It was never explained but Eurys said nephilims may have been related to sun god.

      Also it's not only Eurys who said Nephis is one, we know that because of her attributes.
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      kaibutsu
      kaibutsu
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      chapter 2136
      "He is from the time before the Nightmare Spell ruled the world. He would not know what Nightmares are and how they function. So, he would not be able to guess that I received the Attribute of [Nephilim] after conquering the First Nightmare… he would simply think that I was born as one. Nephilim were children of an unholy union between the divine and the profane, so for people of that era, they would be more abominable than even those who had been corrupted by the Void."
      which means she didn`t born as nephilim, it`s just an attribute
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        Borderline Coffee Addict
        Borderline Coffee Addict
        + 0 ⋅ 0 -
        Ah right ! Thank you my man !
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        JR3
        JR3
        + 0 ⋅ 0 -
        Ok, so I wasn't just making up things in my head... other people just confusing. Thanks
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  6. Offline
    Ahmed Elkordy
    Ahmed Elkordy
    + 5 ⋅ 1 -
    2283?
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    1. Offline
      Eightsixtwo_
      Eightsixtwo_
      + 10 ⋅ 0 -
      How very greedy, G3 hasn't even released that one yet
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      1. Offline
        JR3
        JR3
        + 0 ⋅ 0 -
        How dare you asume he hasn't.
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  7. Offline
    SHIV
    SHIV
    + 81 ⋅ 2 -
    2282 Dark Explorer

    Far in the distance, a mountain of shattered black stone loomed above the dusty sea like a colossal gravestone. The terrain surrounding the monument was strewn with the remains of countless Nightmare Creatures that had died here... the human bones, however, had been buried farther away, sheltered from wind and weather beneath a barrow.

    A stone colossus knelt silently on the ground, unmoving, gently holding its severed hand with both of its massive remaining hands.

    These were the remnants of the Crimson Spire.

    Sunny, or rather another one of his incarnations, was seated in the heart of the ruins, resting on the rim of a deep well with a thoughtful look on his face.

    At the bottom of the ancient well lay a massive pool of black water. Its surface was perfectly calm and flat, resembling a sinister mirror formed from pure shadow. Gentle ripples occasionally moved across the surface of the imprisoned sea of darkness, as though it yearned to escape its prison and surge past the edge of the pool.

    It was the Dark Sea.
    Once, long ago, the Dark Sea had appeared to be a force of nature — something unfathomably vast and devastating, beyond anything Sunny could hope to oppose. He had barely survived encounters with scavengers that fed off the grotesque remnants it left behind, let alone the creatures that truly inhabited its depths. Confronting them had been a certain death sentence.
    Now, Sunny understood that the Dark Sea was actually a Great Titan — a blasphemous entity born from the darkness that had once lived inside the radiant figure who fell to this land... back when it had yet to be called the Forgotten Shore.
    That radiant being had likely been a nephilim — or perhaps an angel — wounded in one of the ancient battles between gods and daemons. The people of the land where it fell had slain the luminous being and, in doing so, unleashed a curse of darkness upon their world. That curse later transformed into the Dark Sea.
    In any case, the Dark Sea had become a Great Titan... and Sunny himself was now a Supreme Titan.
    But as strange as it felt to be considered equal to the Dark Sea — which had once represented certain and inescapable death — Sunny understood that he could destroy it.
    There were legions of Nightmare Creatures inhabiting the sealed sea. Slaying them would significantly boost the Shadow Legion’s capacity for naval warfare. But those beings were not the Great Titan itself.
    In truth, Sunny could sense seven vast masses of darkness hidden somewhere in the sea’s unreachable depths. He did not know what they were, but he was convinced that locating and eliminating them would likely lead to the Dark Sea’s demise.
    He was weighing whether or not to dive into the black waters and take the risk...
    The issue was not with the Dark Sea itself. The problem... was the seal that confined it beneath the shattered Crimson Spire.
    Even if Sunny succeeded in destroying the Great Titan, he might simply end up trapped at the bottom of the well in its place — at least one of his incarnations would.
    So, he either had to be willing to sacrifice an incarnation or find a way to unravel the sorcery of the seven heroes of the Forgotten Shore before plunging into the depths to kill the Dark Sea.
    Even after spending a full year studying the well, he still had no idea how the seal had been constructed. It wasn’t woven magic, nor did it appear to be based on runes... and he was fairly certain it wasn’t Shaping, either. Shaping was a fleeting form of sorcery. It wasn’t meant to last — or at least, it wasn’t supposed to.
    There were exceptions to every rule, of course. His own sister was one such exception.
    But Sunny still didn’t believe the Seven Heroes had been Shapers.
    He reviewed everything he knew about the creation of the Crimson Spire... which wasn’t much, honestly.
    All he was sure of was that a massive human sacrifice had taken place to create it, resulting in the birth of an artificial sun. At the same time, the curse of darkness had been bound beneath the Spire.
    He also suspected that one of the Seven Heroes — the Builder — had been heavily inspired by Nether. There were traces of the Builder’s attempts to imitate the Demon of Destiny scattered throughout the Dark City. The Black Knight in the ruined cathedral had been one such imitation — Sunny was rather sure the monstrous Devil was the outcome of the Builder’s efforts to produce his own variant of the Stone Saints.
    The enormous statue of the Builder now kneeling behind him was another such imitation, albeit far more ambitious.
    That was why Saint had looked upon both the Black Knight and the walking colossus with scorn.
    So... what kind of sorcery had they used to forge the seal?
    Which meant Sunny could not slay the Dark Sea — not yet.
    Why was it so difficult to destroy one insignificant Great Titan? If Sunny had still been Fated, he probably would have stumbled face-first into the answer by sheer luck.
    He couldn’t even ask Cassie for help, since there were no runes left for her to analyze.
    Shaking his head, Sunny cast one last look into the dark abyss of the well and rose to his feet.
    "Count yourself fortunate. I’ll be back for you someday."
    With a scoff, Sunny stepped backward... and vanished.
    A heartbeat later, he was somewhere far away. Specifically, he now stood in the eastern crater, nestled between the Dark City and the Ashe Barrow.
    The ruins of the Crimson Spire, on the other hand, lay west of the Dark City. When the Dreamer Army had once marched to siege it, they needed a full week to reach the foreboding tower — but now, Sunny could cross that distance instantly, without even expending much essence.
    Here and there on the crater’s dusty floor, bones of monstrous sea creatures lay in scattered heaps, looking like mountains of yellowed ivory. Closer to the crater’s center, however, the ground turned to black glass, and at its very heart, a large round hole plunged into the earth’s depths.
    That was where the Dark Sea had emerged each night and where it had retreated at dawn — vast caves existed beneath the Forgotten Shore, accessible through several such gaping wounds in its surface.
    Sunny had a theory that one of those cavern systems might hold a hidden passage to the Underworld.
    So, he had been exploring them at a leisurely pace lately.
    Transforming into shadow, Sunny dove headfirst into the darkness.
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    1. Offline
      Kaizuku
      Kaizuku
      + 2 ⋅ 1 -
      Thank you very much
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      MR.D00R
      MR.D00R
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      Thank you for fueling my addiction
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      ZzZ
      ZzZ
      + 11 ⋅ 0 -
      POV: You chad
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      saagar
      saagar
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      may god bless you 🤧
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      JR3
      JR3
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      I pray to you good lord. monk
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      Borderline Coffee Addict
      Borderline Coffee Addict
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      Thanks dude !
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      Chaos_WarGod
      Chaos_WarGod
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      All hail lord shiv!!!
      The provider!!!!
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    SHIV
    SHIV
    + 67 ⋅ 1 -
    2280 Hidden Dagger

    Now that his original body was gone, Sunny's existence was divided between seven incarnations. He could maintain all seven avatars endlessly or give up control of some, returning authority to his shadows.

    One incarnation stayed in Bastion, remaining with Nephis and keeping watch on Rain. It also worked as a point of contact between Sunny and the Ivory Tower, helping both the public and the secret forces of the Human Domain to better coordinate their efforts.

    Human Domain...

    As far as Sunny cared, it was a name that lacked the needed weight, and he was definitely someone who knew how to give things powerful names. No one had listened to him on this matter, though, for whatever reason.

    At first, people used to call Neph's Domain all kinds of names, like the Star Domain, the Light Domain, the Immortal Flame Domain. However, Nephis had clearly chosen to let go of those names and instead went with a more general title, separating the identity of the new human empire from her own.

    Names carried strength, after all.

    More importantly, she was thinking ahead. In the future, more human Sovereigns would rise, while Nephis herself might reach a greater Rank or possibly die trying. The human unity that she and Sunny had earned in Godgrave needed to survive even in their absence.

    In any case, while one of Sunny's incarnations was hiding in the middle of the Human Domain, the rest of them were far away, on the Forgotten Shore.
    His main avatar was playing the part of the Dark Lord, staying in the shadowy throne room of the Marvellous Mimic. He commanded the shades rebuilding the city and handled matters involving the Shadow Clan.

    The Shadow Clan was a group made up of extraordinary elites, each with a mix of rare gifts.

    For instance, there was Corsair, their latest member. His record of service could make most people faint, a good reminder that while Sunny and his team had been going through their terrifying trials, countless remarkable people all across the world had been living their own wild stories inside the awful reality of the Nightmare Spell too.

    Even though Corsair was amazing, he was not unusual among the members of the Shadow Clan. Most of them had files just as thick and incredible as his.

    Sunny had picked every single one of them himself, after all.

    Still, the total strength of the Shadow Clan was not that high, not when compared to famous Awakened groups like the Fire Keepers, the Wolf Army, the Nightsingers, and others. Most of its members were simply Awakened, with just a few Masters leading them.

    There were a few reasons for that. The most important was that it was simpler to stay hidden when recruiting Awakened. There were more Masters in the world nowadays, but they still attracted attention. So Sunny wanted to create a strong base of gifted Awakened, train them as much as he could, and later help those who were ready to rise along the Path of Ascension.

    If things went well, in a few years, he would have many Masters on his side, all trained and raised by the Shadow Clan. And maybe, just maybe, he would even manage to bring in a couple of Transcendent allies before that happened.

    For now, though, the power of the Shadow Clan was enough. His fighters were not meant to take part in long fights anyway. They were meant to strike from the shadows, destroy the target in a single hit, and vanish without a trace.

    The Mark of Shadows gave them extra benefits, and Sunny could even strengthen them himself if they were ever in trouble.

    Fighting skill was not the main thing that made the members of the Shadow Clan precious. In truth, Sunny needed them for another reason. Just like his shade warriors, people with the Mark of Shadows acted as carriers of his Supreme shadow sense. Wherever they traveled, Sunny's awareness followed.

    And since it was very hard for him to enter the real world these days, the Shadow Clan agents worked as his sight and hearing there.

    They were spread out across all three remaining Quadrants, finishing missions and collecting data. Even better, the Mark of Shadows let Sunny access their Soul Seas, which meant that the Shadow Clan was a group untouched by Mordret's sneaky powers.

    The Princes of Nothing had completely vanished, and there was no trace of him anywhere. Still, Sunny could not rest easy, knowing the enemy was out there, likely planning another nightmare. Even if not, it was safer to be ready for the worst.

    There was another threat that the Shadow Clan was meant to guard against. Maybe not like a sword, but like a finely hidden and deadly dagger.

    It was the third Sovereign of humanity, Asterion.

    The Dreamspawn.

    Very little was understood about him, and even now that Nephis and her group had become rulers of the world, they had not uncovered much about this mysterious Supreme. Anvil and Ki Song had done a very good job removing all traces of him and his followers.

    There was still some knowledge of him in printed books, though those were already quite rare today, and even those had very little detail. Cassie was searching hard for any hints of Asterion, but even with her impressive data skills, she was turning up empty.

    All they knew was that the Third Sovereign had been cut off and locked away on the moon. Maybe he had died there, but none of them truly believed that.

    Which meant he could still return.

    The lack of knowledge about such a serious threat was very frustrating, and the only person who knew Asterion best, Mordret, was missing. Without him, they had hit a wall.

    In fact, they could not even say for sure that Asterion was a danger. He might hold no hate toward Nephis and her Domain, even though he had played a role in her father’s death.

    But just like none of them thought he was dead, none of them thought he was harmless either.

    From all that Sunny had heard about the Dreamspawn, he was a strange and dangerous being. So...

    The Shadow Clan was preparing to handle whatever might happen if Asterion came back. Even Sunny himself did not know what those plans should be. All he knew was that Asterion’s Domain seemed to be tied to the idea of others knowing about him, meaning it needed followers to grow.

    Asterion himself was not someone the Shadow Clan could battle, but his followers were.

    That was why the Dark Lord sat on the throne, his mind stretched through countless shades and many members of the Shadow Clan, soaking in knowledge and scanning for signs of trouble.

    Of course, he was very busy while looking totally lazy.

    At this moment, Sunny was just about to send Kim and Corsair on their way...

    2281 New Recruit

    Sunny was seated on his throne, gazing down at Kim and Corsair. The former had just finished giving the report, while the latter was observing him with a somewhat distant look.

    Corsair, Master Randall's grandson, occasionally lowered his eyes, studying the tattoo of a dark onyx serpent now coiled around his arm, peeking from under the rolled-up sleeve.

    The newest addition to the Shadow Clan was a tall man with jet-black hair and intense blue eyes. He had sharp features and a detached expression, radiating a calm certainty and deadly danger. Overall, if there was one word Sunny would use to describe Corsair, it would be... striking.

    No, truly, Sunny would have given anything to look like that back when he was Awakened. It was like watching the lead actor of an Awakened action movie.

    Corsair was definitely going to blend in with the other members of the Shadow Clan.

    They were an eclectic mix of personalities.

    Of course, the new recruit had lost a bit of his composed edge after meeting Sunny. Most people were taken aback when first encountering the Dark Lord, although not everyone could hide their surprise quite as well. That was because they all anticipated meeting the terrifying Lord of Shadows but were instead greeted by a laid-back and quirky young man.

    There was a reason why Sunny insisted on being called "boss," referred to himself as the Dark Lord, and occasionally behaved like an overgrown child.
    First of all... because he simply wanted to. Now that he was a Supreme, there was no need to wear a mask, so Sunny could act as his genuine self instead of pretending to be some ominous figure. And his genuine self was nothing like the solemn nobility that people typically associated with a Sovereign.

    So, the real question wasn’t why he would call himself the Dark Lord.

    The question was why wouldn’t he? It sounded incredible.

    There was another reason, too — the strange reverence people showed Nephis. The meditation halls that looked like shrines, the silent devotion that felt like worship, the admiration that had the flavor of cult-like awe... Sunny had no desire to be idolized like a god. It made him uncomfortable, and beyond that, the blood of Weaver flowed through his veins.

    So, he acted the way he did to crush any temptation his subordinates might have to treat him like some kind of half-formed deity.

    His behavior seemed to have worked perfectly on Corsair, who had entered the throne room with a quiet sense of awe in his icy blue eyes but was now leaving in complete confusion.

    Sunny yawned, then gestured toward Kim.

    "I understand... that’s good to hear, Kimmy. And yeah, I’m aware that we need more healers than just Quentin and Fleur. But come on! Convincing a healer to join a suspicious clan full of deadly spies isn’t simple!"

    He smiled at her playfully.

    "Oh, I have a suggestion! What if you just tell our people to improve and stop getting hurt to begin with?"

    Kim looked back at him blandly.

    "This suspicious clan full of deadly spies has spent three million credits on medical goods this quarter, boss."

    Sunny froze for a second.

    "Let’s steal some healers, Kimmy! Let’s do it quickly! Those Song sisters have too many anyway... maybe we can snatch a Blood Sister or two from Seishan?"

    She inhaled deeply and watched him quietly for a moment, then lowered her eyes.

    "I’ll try."

    A few minutes later, the report was finished, and Sunny dismissed them with a lazy grin.

    "Welcome to the Shadow Clan, Corsair! Rest well today — your training begins tomorrow. Of course, there’s no sunlight here on the Forgotten Shore... a friend of mine kind of ruined it... so day and night are exactly the same, which makes the idea of tomorrow feel strange. But you’ll get used to it. Oh, and don’t let your teacher down. I practically raised her back when she was a tiny Awakened Monster... ah, how time flies..."

    Corsair went pale.

    "D-destroyed a sun? Wait... boss, you raised a Monster?"

    Sunny blinked in surprise.

    "Well, yeah. Why, haven’t you ever destroyed a sun?"

    Corsair slowly shook his head.

    Sunny paused for a moment, then scratched his nose awkwardly.

    "Oh. No, no! That’s nothing to be ashamed of. You... you’re still young..."

    The new recruit turned to follow Kim, his face showing a hint of distress. Before he left,

    Sunny suddenly called out:

    "Hey, Corsair. You were a professional assassin, right?"

    Corsair glanced at him and frowned slightly.

    "To be specific, boss, people paid me to solve problems. If the problem happened to be some lowlife... or a bunch of lowlives... well, then I had to solve them instead."

    Sunny stared at him in thought for a moment, then grinned.

    "Wow. That sounded amazing! ‘I had to solve them instead’... I’m totally stealing that line. But anyway, give me some expert advice. How would someone go about killing a sea?"

    Corsair blinked.

    "Killing... a sea, boss?"

    Sunny nodded a few times.

    "Yes! You see, there’s this sea... a very vile one. We have unfinished business, but I haven’t quite figured out how to destroy a sea yet. So I thought maybe you’d know, since you’re a pro!"

    The new recruit stayed quiet for a while, then replied calmly:

    "I must apologize, boss. That’s a little... beyond my specialty. I mainly focused on dealing with humans, Nightmare Creatures, and an occasional rogue killer machine."

    Sunny sighed.

    "I understand... well, no worries. I’ll think of something..."

    With that, Kim and Corsair exited.

    Sunny remained on his throne, gazing at the ceiling with a weary expression.

    Of course, his mind was very busy.

    Hundreds of shadows were moving across the Dark City, clearing rubble, preparing less damaged buildings for restoration, and marking ruins that had to be demolished.

    On the surface, everything was proceeding smoothly, but the underground catacombs still posed a challenge. Sunny had to manage the process personally — not only because of the fragile work involved in tunnels, but also because the sun’s devastating light had never touched the vast network below. There were still Nightmare Creatures down there...

    Taking control of the catacombs was crucial. A proper city began with a strong sewage system, after all.

    What separated humans from animals?

    It was the fact that humans had plumbing, of course!

    He also needed to decide how and where to bury the countless remains resting in the catacombs. Additionally, he had to consider what to do with the collapsed lighthouse of the Dark City. Rebuilding it was an option, but every member of the Shadow Clan could see in total darkness. They did not need a light tower.

    However, possible settlers would.

    Then, there was the matter of the seven giant statues. The Priestess stood right before the Dark City, badly damaged. Sunny could place its broken arm back in place, but that raised another question — should he also return the severed heads of the statues to their rightful spots?

    There was a lot to do...

    Besides that, he was also watching the members of the Shadow Clan.

    One cohort was tracking a disturbing cult hidden within the depths of NQSC. Another group was getting ready to defeat a Terror that had built a nest in the sewers beneath a small town in the Western Quadrant and appeared to be targeting children. A third group was preparing to rob a bank — or rather, recover a seemingly cursed book from a personal vault there...

    Why did I never consider robbing a bank?

    With his Aspect, it would have been simple.

    Sunny sighed.

    Then, he paused.

    Wait. Why did I never consider opening a bank?

    His eyes sparkled in the darkness.

    "Aiko!"
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    1. Offline
      TonioMondaya
      TonioMondaya
      + 3 ⋅ 0 -
      My Savior, we also need 2282
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      Prancheta06
      Prancheta06
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      SHIV- Sama!! 12
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      Sus
      Sus
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      You may not know, but I love you 👉💗
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      JR3
      JR3
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Sunny is like a child on Christmas and I love it. very-shy
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      That1Friend
      That1Friend
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      I wet my pants when I saw the second chapter icl
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    LexEdu
    LexEdu
    + 1 ⋅ 2 -
    You guys should wait for at least 10hours before pirated chapter are released
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    Massassi
    Massassi
    + 1 ⋅ 2 -
    Does anyone know, once a chapter is no longer privileged does this site and the others update their "modified" version to the official one?

    I don't get why an author would be ok with that many modified versions being handed out just to try to prevent more AI modding
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      Artearia
      Artearia
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      probably but priv chapters are 20 behind so it will take awhile to catch up
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